Catching device for mail-bags.



H. K ERSHAW.

I CATCHING DEVICE FOR MAIL BAGS. APPLICATION man AUG. 13. 1917. RENEWED MAR. I8. 1919.

1,,3G2,562. Patented May 6, 1919.

Q v m QLL I \I\ I [7% 25 ID 21 as w Witness.

UNTTED ATETTT.

HENRY KERSI-IAl/V, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB 10 KERSI-IAW CORPORATION, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATIGN OF HEVT JERSEY.

GATCHING DEVICE FOR MAIL-BAGS.

Original application filed April 26, 1917, Serial No. 164,658.

1917, Serial No. 186,019.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY KnRsHAw, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catching Devices for Mail.-

Bags, of which the following is a specifica tion.

My invention relates to improvements in mail bag handling apparatus and has particular reference to car supporting, holding, or catching means, for mail bags.

An important object of the invention is to provide means to positively lock the horizontally swinging arm of the apparatus in the active position, which means are simple in construction, and highly convenient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a plan view of apparatus em bodying my invention, showing a mail bag secured thereto,

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the mail bag removed,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 41 of Fig. 3, and,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a railway mail car, having a door opening 11.

Secured to the side wall of the car 10, in proximity to the opening 11, is a pair of spaced brackets 12. which are bolted or otherwise attached thereto. Arranged between these brackets is an apertured knuckle 13, receiving a pin or pivot element 14:, attached to the brackets 12, as shown. The knuckle 13 is provided with recesses 15 and 16 (see Fig. 4) for the reception of a tooth or stud 17, carried by a lock lever 18. This lock lever is pivoted at its upper end at 19, between spaced knuckles 20, carried by the upper bracket 12. The lock lever 18 is adapted to be swung downwardly between Specification of Letters Patent.

Renewed March 18, 191.9.

Patented May 6, 19 19.

Divided and. this application filed August 13,

Serial No. 283,440.

lower apertured knuckles 21, carried by the istration with the apertures 23, and adapted for the reception of a pin 2 1, whereby the lock lever 18 is securely held against accidental displacement. Rigidly connected with the knuckle 13 and preferably formed integral therewith is a horizontal swinging arm 25, provided at its free end with a fork or catcher 26, preferably disposed at a right angle thereto. and preferably formed integral therewith. When the arm 25 is in the outer or active position, it may be locked in such position by thetooth 17 being inserted within the recess 15, and when the arm is swung to the inner position, it may be locked in such position by the tooth 17 entering the recess 16. The arm 25 (see more particularly Fig. 2) is provided with a laterally extending stop lever 27, having a diagonal brace 28, and preferably carrying a shock absorbing element 29, such as a section or block of rubber.

The arm 25 is provided near its free end with spaced apertured knuckles 30, between which is arranged a vertically swinging block or member 31, pivoted thereto by a pin 32. The upper end of the block or member 31 is ut away, as shown in Fig. 5, so that such upper end is adapted to swing toward the arm 25, and such movement is opposed by a spring as shown. Rigidly connected with the block or member 31 is a headed pin or stud 34 and a second pin 35 is preferably arranged beneath the pin 34, and rigidly secured to the block 31.

The numeral 36 designates a holding device, having connection with a mail bag 37 and adapted for detach able engagement with the headed stud 34 and pin 35.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the operation of the apparatus is obvious.

The present invention is shown and described but not claimed in my copending application for mail bag cat hing and delivering apparatus. filed April 26, 1917, Serial No. 164.658, and the present application is a divisional application of the first named application.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a pair of relatively stationary superposed brackets, of a head arranged between the brackets and pro vided with a plurality of notches, a pivot element passing through the brackets and head, a mail bag handling arm secured to the head, an extension carried by the upper bracket, a lock lever pivoted at its upper end with said extension and provided near its center with a tooth adapted to enter a selected notch, and an extension carried by the lower bracket and adapted to have interlocking engagement with the lock lever when the same is moved to the lower active position.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a pair of relatively stationary superposed brackets, of a 1 and a lock lever pivoted within the pair of 35 upper knuckles and adapted for movement between the pair of lower knuckles and having an extension for movement into a se lected notch.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY KERSHAVV.

Witnesses O. L. BUTCHER, G. H. SIMoNos.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I) C. 

